Everything we learnt for Inside Out 2

In this article, we will continue to explore how the films of the #InsideOut world can offer us important lessons for understanding human development, functions, and relational patterns.

In the first article ( https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/%CF%84%CE%B9-%CE%BC%CE%B1%CF%82-%CE%AD%CF%87%CE%B5%CE%B9-%CE%B4%CE%B9%CE%B4%CE%AC%CF%88%CE%B5%CE%B9-%CE%BF-%CE%BA%CFWe ) focused on the first movie, following Riley as she tried to adjust to the new city she moved to with her family. If you would like to read what we learned from the first movie, you can follow the link above.

In the second movie, #InsideOut2, which we will examine, the preteen Riley has now entered #adolescence (13 years old) and is ready to attend a three-day training on hockey with her friends.

"Ode" to Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

Through the film, we - especially children - can get to know Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. Initially, there is a reference to the heroine's "Self-awareness," which pertains to a set of self-referential statements. These seem to resemble the core beliefs mentioned by Beck, which refer to central beliefs that every person possesses (e.g., I am good, I am helpless) and function as rules in their life, guiding their other thoughts and actions. These specific beliefs shape the automatic thoughts we have when we face a situation—whether internal or external— and they also shape the corresponding thoughts, emotions, behaviours, etc. (Beck, 2020. Kennerley et al., 2017). Furthermore, intermediate beliefs are developed based on core beliefs, which take the form of hypothetical statements, e.g., if I become a Firehawk, I will not be alone. These influence automatic thoughts and equally affect the strategies we develop to prevent the negative outcome of the hypothetical statements, for example, if I don't become a Firehawk, I will be alone. So I adopt all my behaviours to avoid that (Beck, 2020).

Furthermore, according to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, there is an interaction between emotions, thoughts, and behaviour, to such an extent that we cannot "calculate" the contribution of each (Beck, 2020). Beliefs, furthermore, are formed primarily during childhood through interaction with caregivers. For example, negative life experiences/interactions shape negative beliefs about oneself, in contrast to positive ones. Finally, it seems that the subconscious plays an important role in shaping positive self-awareness, as it removes negative self-criticisms and gathers only positive ones (Kennerley et al., 2017).

Role of the Subconscious

As we mentioned in the previous article, the role of the subconscious is to protect - to imprison - the elements that frighten the heroine. This depiction is not far from the initial presentations of the subconscious in psychoanalysis, where any material that could be harmful to the individual was repressed. Specifically, the representation of the subconscious in this film seems to align more closely with the depiction that Freud had formulated, as it now encompasses anything that could "disturb" the heroine's self-awareness (Bateman & Holmes, 2001). Indeed, the selection of the elements, that end up there, is made by emotions. Repression following the emergence of uncomfortable emotions regarding an element seems to align with Freud's second theory of the subconscious - the Structural Model (i.e., Freud's theory that introduced the three fundamental parts of the psyche: the Id, the Ego, and the Superego) - according to which any element that would harm an individual's psyche, causing negative emotions and anxiety, would trigger its repression. Based on the initial topographic model, stress primarily arose as a result of repression, indicating that an element has been repressed (Bateman & Holmes, 2001). In this film, we, also, see the release of the energy of this repressed material through Riley's panic attack.

New feelings and adolescence

As Riley enters adolescence, this brings significant changes to the control centre – or the "Revelation," as they call it at first – with one of the most important being the emergence of new emotions.

During adolescence, young individuals experience significant changes to their bodies, cognitive functions, the complexity of their emotions, responsibilities, relationships, and identity, while facing an external reality with its various challenges. For example, during adolescence, the ability to think abstractly fully develops while there is observed egocentrism among teenagers as they try to shape their identity, along with a sense of the permanence of their problems (Craig & Baucum, 2002).

It is, also, important to mention that half of the emotions (Anxiety, Jealousy, Boredom, Shame) that arise are socially oriented. Of course, Boredom's role is to project a relaxed appearance outwardly, which makes her socially oriented (Oatley & Jenkins, 2004). As for Anxiety, it appears to be a result of the complex changes that adolescents experience (Craig & Baucum, 2002). As for the other emotions, this new orientation in social relationships is a natural outcome of adolescence, as teenagers turn to their peers for the formation of their identity. (Craig & Baucum, 2002). Like other emotions, they can also influence thoughts (e.g., a light bulb moment) by affecting the motivation system (Izard et al., 2008. Nummenmaa, 2022).

The Role of Anxiety

Anxiety seems to be more prevalent in the lives of teenagers compared to their childhood (Wilmshurst, 2011). Anxiety differs from Fear, which, as Anxiety points out, pertains only to what is not yet visible to the heroine, namely immediate dangers (Oatley & Jenkins, 2004). Anxiety is always there to help. Indeed, from the very first moment, she asks how she can help and seems to be on alert from the start regarding her role (e.g., using her imagination for future scenarios). Namely, it enhances neurophysiological function, facilitates planning, targets attention, etc. (Kring & Johnson, 2017).

As the available resources to manage her situation dwindle, while it is assessed as dangerous, the impact of Anxiety grows, just as stress had dominated in the previous film. She is starting to get tired, and anxiety is overwhelming her, resulting in it growing stronger (Rallie Muhamad 2018). This could be described as the Yerkes-Dodson Stress Curve, where stress when at a moderate level and with resources available to address the situation, contributes to an increase in performance. However, when stress increases and resources diminish, the individual experiences intense anxiety, and burnout, and may even reach the point of panic attacks (McGonigal, 2015).

Riley's defences

Riley seems to use a set of defences to manage her reality (Bateman & Holmes, 2001. Son, 2021). Specifically, it seems that Joy uses repression by pushing negative experiences into the subconscious so that they do not affect Riley. Furthermore, she uses denial with reactive formation, for example, when Riley says that everything will be fine and does not accept that she is upset about the loss of her friends. Furthermore, it seems that the heroine rationalizes the situations she faces and isolates her emotions (Son, 2021). It also seems that she uses splitting as she sees herself either as good or as bad (Bateman & Holmes, 2001).

Acceptance of emotions

Good or bad feelings? Good or bad Riley? It is evident from the beginning that the heroine is encouraged to see herself in a positive light. It's as if she can see herself only as an element, excluding anything else in the subconscious. Thus, we could say that Riley exhibits a cognitive distortion of "black-and-white thinking." However, such cognitive distortions, although initially aimed at simplifying the world, become a source of greater stress (Beck, 2020. Corey, 2011). The heroine cannot accept her complexity or her emotions. In both the previous film and this one, there is a systematic effort for their "exile." However, the suppression of emotions can increase symptoms of anxiety and depression, complicate relationships, and prolong the duration of negative feelings, in contrast to accepting them (Campbell-Sills et al., 2006. Peters et al., 2014. Roemer & Borkovec, 1994). On the contrary, acceptance means that there can be something alongside something else, such as sadness and joy, and that significant experiences can be gained from their coexistence (Corey, 2011). Only when the heroine accepts and nurtures all her emotions - including the interplay between them - does it seem that they can coexist, just as the self-awareness that emerges appears to foster a greater sense of security.

Peer group and adolescence

As the heroine enters adolescence, she exits the Latent Period and enters the Genital stage. In both stages, an adolescent emphasizes - among other things - the development of their interpersonal relationships, such as friendships. According to Freud, it is about the investment of libido into the development and maturation of the individual (Pervin & Cervone, 2013).

Furthermore, the recognition of social signals is increasing, and social comparison has a greater impact on them, even in the formation of their personality. It is a period of exploration and construction of adult identity through the introduction or questioning of information from the environment. It's not at all strange that during that period, teenagers find mentors they admire and try to emulate. Thus, Riley also seems to adopt characteristics of her peers in order to adapt to them and to shape her identity, achieving her goals based on who she is and the group of her peers. This fact results in her identity being in a state of diffusion, as it absorbs elements from the outside world without strongly questioning them "so that she can become a Riley who will not be alone." Finally, her close friends act as a protective factor to help her manage her stress and rebuild her identity (Craig & Baucum, 2002).

The anatomy of a panic attack

As we see in the movie, a panic attack starts very quickly and peaks immediately. The individual may experience fear or a sense of impending doom, a feeling of dying, palpitations, difficulty breathing, nausea, dizziness, weakness, hot or cold sensations, vertigo, trembling, sweating, a feeling of losing control, and a sense that what they see is not real. Usually, a panic attack peaks within ten minutes, and the symptoms gradually subside. (Kring & Johnson, 2017). As the heroine begins to observe her bodily functions, Joy, in order to return to the control center, places dynamite in the subconscious, triggering a wave of it to reach even the "Self-awareness." However, this seems to make the heroine pay more attention to her bodily functions - a fact that the viewer can also hear - which further activates the heroine's negative beliefs and anxiety, resulting in the peak of the panic attack. This representation seems to be very close to the depiction of a panic attack based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. (Busch et al., 1991). This scene could be described as the release of part of the energy of repressed material in the subconscious. According to psychodynamic theory, panic attacks arise as a result of a conflict between different aspects of the psyche or even repressed material. (Bateman & Holmes, 2001). In this particular case, the forbidden material was Riley's experiences that conflicted with her initial self-awareness, and due to this conflict, anxiety is released (Bateman & Holmes, 2001). Busch et al., 1991).

People with mental health issues are not alone

People are born into systems where they interact with other people, as well as with other systems. Therefore, people are always interacting and can draw insights from their relationships. Friendships act as a protective factor in managing stress and building identity (Craig & Baucum, 2002). Even feelings are not alone. For example, when Joy admits that she doesn't know how to help, the other emotions support her. Later, feelings ensure that Anxiety remains calm.

References

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